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Key characteristics

Family: Podocarpaceae
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Width: 5 to 8 feet
Flower color: Not significant
Foliage color: Striking blue-green, needle-like foliage
Bloom time: N/A (primarily valued for its foliage)
Light: Prefers full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; can be pruned to maintain shape or used as a low hedge
Growing zone: USDA zones 8 to 11
Wildlife: Provides shelter for wildlife

Shrubs

Podocarpus lawrencei 'Blue Gem'

Blue Gem Mountain Plum Pine

Podocarpus lawrencei 'Blue Gem' is a compact, evergreen shrub admired for its dense, finely textured foliage in shades of blue-green. The plant maintains year-round color, with new growth often emerging with a brighter or more vibrant hue, adding subtle seasonal interest. While it does not produce prominent flowers, it occasionally forms small, inconspicuous cones typical of coniferous shrubs.

Native to the alpine regions of Australia, Podocarpus lawrencei 'Blue Gem' is a cultivar selected for its unique foliage color and tidy growth habit.

Light

Prefers full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

N/A (primarily valued for its foliage)

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Rock Gardens
Containers
Hedging & Privacy

Companion plants

Phlox · Pittosporum · Hardy mums · Feather reed grass · Cranesbill · Butterfly bush

Design tip

Cool blue-green foliage can act as a visual bridge between deep green evergreens and plants with silver or gray tones. ‘Blue Gem’s’ dense, fine texture strengthens that transition, while brighter new growth introduces a subtle seasonal highlight within evergreen framework.